Spider's Web
by Karel
Summary: Bridger dies in a shuttle accident.
1. Default Chapter Title

Sorry it's only part 1. I'll try to get the rest up as quickly as possible. I'm having troubles. I think I corrected all the paragraph breaks but let me know if I missed one. 

Spider's Web part 1 

A soft hand caressed his face as he struggled back to consciousness. "Oh, honey, don't do this to yourself," a soothing voice cooed in his ear. "You know I hate to see you suffer. Tell us what we want to know and then you can relax, go to sleep and have pleasant dreams. I'll give you a nice back rub." 

Squinting, he could make out the shadowy form of a tall blonde lady bending in front to him. Exhausted, he once again mumbled, "Bridger. Captain. 382842." 

The shadow pulled away with a sigh. "Doctor, let's try the Xemper. We've always had excellent results with that." 

Straining against the metal clamps that held his arms down, he weakly kicked his legs until a blow to his face left him dazed. Sniffing to stop the blood flow from his nose, his eyes half open, he focused on the large syringe swinging into view, moving in slow motion to his bare arm. He couldn't hold back the whimper of pain as the sharp point broke his flesh and the poison flowed like ice through his veins. 

The women with the blonde hair peered into his face once more. "If you tell me what I want to know , the pain will stop. What is the seaQuest's next assignment ?" As the voice droned on, his mind slipped back into the black nothingness. ***** 

"SeaQuest, can you hear me ? The vid link doesn't appear to be working so voice only. Are you there, O'Neill ?" The Captain's voice sounded cheerful and rejuvenated after his short vacation spent up world at the marine biology conference. 

Giving O'Neill a signal, Ford flicked a switch it front of him. "We've got you, Captain, but you're moving away from our position. Swing a bit to your right." 

"Had a great time...." 

>static<

Jonathan Ford stood, staring in horror at the screen, looking at the aftermath of an explosion, pieces of the little two man shuttle spreading across the water, sinking to the bottom of the ocean. 

He glanced quickly around the bridge, and saw Tim O'Neill crossing himself and closing his eyes, lips moving silently. Katie had one tear rolling down her face, even as she kept working, readying the hyper reality probe in case she was ordered to send it out. Ben Krieg was clutching his stomach, and looked like he was going to be sick. Others stood in small groups, talking quietly among themselves, some hugging others, lending comfort. His eyes stopped when he saw Lucas, stunned and pale faced, slumped in the Captain's chair. Doctor Westphalen was kneeling next to the teen, taking his pulse, talking to him softly. The Doctor glanced over and saw him looking at them. She gave him a head shake and a look filled with grief. He knew what she meant. No one could have survived that explosion. Kristin was urging Lucas to come with her. 

"No !" Lucas stood staring at the screen. "I have to stay here, I have to help the Captain." The teen was near hysterics, and Kristin didn't look like she was far behind. "Commander, let me suit up and take Darwin out to find him. He'll drown if we leave him out there too long." He looked at everyone standing there, not moving. As a tear slipped down his face, he pleaded to the Commander. "What are you waiting for ? You've got to send some one to get him!" 

Krieg came over and wrapped his arms around the boy, comforting him as he slowly led him off the bridge. 

Ford was shaken by the teen's outburst but let his command mask slipped into place. The crew needed leadership, needed some one to take control and hold things together. There would be time later for his personal feelings. "Crocker, take some people and suit up. I want every minuscule piece of the Stinger picked up and brought in. Katie, send out the probe and search...for a body." He felt tension in the atmosphere at the use of the word but it was best to be honest, and not go into things with a false hope. "People, I know this is difficult for all of us but we have to face facts. Think about what the Captain would want. You're all trained UEO officers and we need to carry on, and figure out what happened out there." 

Ford wished he had more words of comfort to offer, some speech that would calm emotions, but that was always Bridger's department and something he had never been very good with . "There'll be time to mourn later," he added sadly. 

Fifteen minutes later, there was no use denying the truth as the hyper reality probe slowly pulled back towards the boat. Following behind it were the two divers who had the unfortunate task of locating the Captain's remains, which they carefully wrapped in a body bag. Darwin paced them on the side, as if he were escorting his friend home one last time. 

Quickly, the news had spread through out the boat. The body was gingerly placed on the stretcher and covered with a white sheet, and rolled down the corridors as crew members lined the hallways, giving their Captain a final salute. 

****** 

Time had lost all meaning and pain was his constant companion. He laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to gather together the whispy threads of his mind. Nothing made sense, nothing came together to form a coherent thought. He knew they'd be back soon, back with their drugs, back with their questions. He had to do something, had to find some way to escape. 

A tear slowly rolled down his cheek as he struggle desperately to remember something about his life. "Lucas...Jonathan....help me....." Now if he could only remember who these people were and why they were important to him. 

***** 

As Kristin blindly fled the small room, hands pushed her into a chair and handed her a small cup. She took one whiff, and downed the drink in one gulp, throat burning from the fire trail of the whiskey. Looking up into the comforting eyes of Ben, he enveloped her in a bear hug. 

"I'll let the UEO hospital take care of the autopsy. There's not ...much...to work with after the fire and then the explosion." Kristin shuddered as she remembered the horror viewing the blackened, bubbled skin of the torso. The head, and one leg had not been recovered and there was little hope, what with the native wildlife swarming the ocean floor. 

There was a reason that doctors did not work on family and this was one of those times Kristin felt too close to the situation to do her duty as a Medical Officer. She did not want her name on Nathan Bridger's death certificate. 

******* 

A week after the explosion, seaQuest was not a happy boat. Ford had been named acting Captain but headquarters was searching for someone to take the position permanently. The wreckage of the shuttle had been examined throughly, and a faulty piece in the electrical system had been found, which had started a fire in the system and, ultimately, led to the explosion. It had been ruled accidental, a one in a billion coincidence. Extra counselors had been brought aboard to help the crew recover from the death of their Captain. The funeral, held at Bridger's island, had been a sad and painful affair. Kristin and several others had sobbed their way through the ceremony and Lucas had refused to even attend, locking himself in his cabin. Jonathan had to put on his dress uniform and entertain the brass even though he longed to drink enough beer to drown his grief. 

The atmosphere on the boat was tense with fear for the unknown. People were either angry, depressed, anxious or a combination of all and the only release was to take out their emotions on others. The crew was walking on eggshells, afraid of doing something or saying something that would upset someone. 

Ford strode briskly onto the bridge early one morning. He was still working under the theory that if he carried on business as usual, the rest of the crew would start to feel more comfortable and distance themselves from the tragedy. Working hard, putting in extra hours, would numb the pain and he hope that time would help distance himself from the heartache. Standing next to the Captain's chair, he reviewed the overnight reports and waited for an upcoming call from Noyce. 

"Jonathan ?" Startled, he turned to see Doctor Westphalen, a solemn expression on her face. standing at his side. 

"Sorry, Doctor, I didn't hear you come in. Is everything all right in Med Bay ?" 

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Darwin has been missing for 24 hours. Lucas has been calling him but there's been no sign of him." 

"Could Darwin, well, since the Captain is...maybe Darwin decided that there was no reason to stay here?" Ford wasn't quite sure what else to say. 

"I've thought of that but I was afraid to say anything to Lucas. He's barely recovered from the shock of losing Nathan and now this. Not that he's come out and say it, but I think he's having nightmares. Also, he told me the other day that he's worried that he's going to have to leave seaQuest. Well, we'll wait another day and then we'll deal with it." She hesitated for a minute, not wanting to broach the next subject. " Are you going to send some one to pack up Nathan's room or would you like Katie and I to do it ?" 

Ford put a gentle hand on Kristin's shoulder and with relief in his voice said, "That would be great. I know that Nathan would have wanted it that way. The only problem is that I'm not sure what to do with it. Since there doesn't seem to be any immediate family, I was waiting to hear from the lawyer after she opened the will." He was struck with a funny thought. "You don't think he left everything to Darwin, do you ?" 

Much to his relief, Kristin cracked a small smile at this. "Wouldn't be surprised," she muttered as she started walking off the bridge. 

On the way to Med Bay, Kristin decided to pay a visit to Lucas' cabin. The teen had been taking Nathan's death especially hard and she had been trying to spend extra time with him. Besides it was comforting for her too, she had to admit. Knocking lightly on the door, she heard a crash and was surprised when the cabin door was yanked open and she was greeted by an excited, happy teenager. 

"Oh, I was just going to call you ! Come here, listen to this. I was playing the Captains' message through the computer and, it's choppy, and the background noises don't match up, like some one put pieces of audio tape together." 

Kristin's heart began to ache as she looked into the bright eyes of the teen before her. "Lucas,"she began gently, taking his hand, "I know it's hard to understand but Nathan is gone. Why are you doing this ? We saw the shuttle explode, we have the body. Please don't make this any harder; denial won't help the pain go away." 

"No ! Listen to me. I have proof that something funny is going on. Don't you want to hear it ?" he demanded. "Don't you find it peculiar that the shuttle's vid link was out and the Captain only had audio communication?" He look at the disbelief in the Doctor's eyes. "Won't you at least say something to the Commander ? Please ?" he pleaded. 

"Yes, I'll say something to Ford," she finally agreed. What else could she do, she thought to herself. It wouldn't hurt to play along for now until Lucas finally accepted reality. As an adult, she knew how difficult that was. To be sixteen and have to face it ... She gave Lucas a weak smile and patted him on the shoulder. "How about getting something eat ?" 

Trying to hide his disappointment, he turned off the computer and stood up. He'd have to dig harder and come up with more evidence before he could convince the others. Maybe Darwin would come home with some information. It was not possible that the Captain could be gone. He refused to believe it. 

*** 

Later that night, Kristin was working on some papers when her computer beeped that she had mail. Looking at the words on the screen she realized it was the hospital report on Captain's... autopsy. She closed her eyes as the unwanted picture of Nathan laying on a cold slab in the morgue popped up in her brain. With her head cradled in her hand, she dutifully scrolled through the report and transferred it to another file to be read more throughly later. Maybe in ten years or so when she could handle it. Putting her computer to sleep, she decided it was time to put herself to sleep also. 

She had only been asleep for a few hours when she sat up quickly in bed, woken by a small niggle in the recesses of her brain. She thought back to the words of the autopsy report. No, it couldn't be, she must have read it wrong. Hauling herself out of bed, she slipped into her robe and headed for Med Bay. She's check it anyway, knowing that there was no way she'd fall back to sleep with this question in her mind. 

Scrolling down the report again, this time more slowly, she found the part she wanted and stared at it as the word jumped off the screen. There is was, right before her eyes, in black and white. Hitting the button of her PAL and trying to keep her voice calm, she said anxiously, "Commander, sorry to wake you, but you really need to come down to Med Bay, right now. She interrupted Ford's response with "No, it can't wait. You have to come NOW" and she broke the link. Five minutes later, Ford hurried into Med Bay, zipping up his jumpsuit. "What's so important that it couldn't wait till morning, Doctor ?" he asked in an annoyed voice. "Is some one hurt ?" Pointing a trembling finger at the screen, her expression a mix of incredulity and relief, she declared, "The body wasn't Nathan's." 

"What !" Ford moved into the computer, trying to decipher the medical terms before him. "Doctor, I know you were close to the Captain, and believe me, I would like nothing better that to..." "He doesn't have a gall bladder - it was taken out ten years ago." 

She almost laugh at the confused look on Jonathan's face. "Nathan told me the whole sordid details of the operation one night when we went to dinner. He says it's the only time he was a patient in a hospital, and how after that ordeal, he won't be going back anytime soon." She jabbed a finger at the screen. "This body, according to the autopsy report, has a gallbladder. There's no way that this is the Captain's body !" She grabbed Ford into a tight hug. 

"Whoa ! Hold on a second, Doctor. This doesn't prove anything. Maybe they sent you the wrong report ?" Kristin shook her head emphatically. "No, no, I already called. Maybe Nathan is still alive." She clutched at Ford's sleeve and gasp. "Lucas - I stopped to see him earlier and he tried to convince me that something was peculiar about the Captain's last transmission and I didn't believe him !" 

Jonathan rubbed his chin, reviewing his options silently. "We can't tell anyone about this." He held up his hand as the Doctor started to object. "We don't know what's going on here and there's no point in getting people's hopes up. For all we know, he's dead still, somewhere else. Also, who ever's behind this has gone through a lot of trouble. We don't want to tip our hand yet. I'll go see Lucas when I get a free minute and see what he has. I'll have to call Noyce too, we'll need his help to do some discreet digging." He smiled, something he hadn't felt like doing for a long time, as Kristin let out a loud yawn. "Let's try and get some sleep, and we'll discuss our options in the morning." 

***** 

His heart was beating rapidly, as his lungs worked hard to push more air through, sweat pouring down his temples. Run, he told his legs, run faster. They're after me, can't let them get me, they'll take me back, to the bad lady. 

Ducking behind a box, he burrowed into the piles of trash, trying to calm his breathing, putting his hand on his mouth to quell his panting. Loud foot steps ran by him but he stayed hidden for awhile longer, afraid to take a chance that they had left. Finally, he had to move because the trash was irritating his already nauseous stomach and he started to retch. 

He crawled out, and tried to get on his feet, but only had the energy to stand half way, clutching the wall. "Sir, do you need assistance ?" 

The soft voice behind him startled him and he started clawing at the wall, trying to get away. Petrified, he sank down onto his ankles, hiding his head in his arms. They found him, they were going to take him back. 

Two uniformed officers stood there, exchanging knowing glances. One reached forward. "Come with us, sir, we'll take you to a place where you can get help - a bed, some hot coffee, a shower." Jumping to his feet like a shot, he stared angrily at them with bloodshot eyes, fists balled at his sides. He wouldn't go without a fight. 

"Now, let's not make things worse then they are. We want to help you, not hurt you." One man reached forward and received a weak punch in the arm. "Kirby, this guy looks familiar." 

"He looks like every other drunk we've seen this week." 

"I think he was on tv. Look at his blue jumpsuit. He looks a little like that guy from seaQuest." 

"The one that died about two weeks ago in some sort of underwater accident? They had his funeral on the news " 

During this conversation, the man in question covered his ears. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. They thought he was dead ? As the burst of adrenaline subsided, he felt dizzy and black spots started to appear before his eyes. As he pitched forward, he whispered "seaQuest", as one of the officers caught him. 

Laying the unconscious man on the ground, the officer started to loosen the ragged, torn uniform. Letting out a low whistle, he commented, " Well, if this is the famous Captain Bridger, UEO has a problem." Turning over the arm so his partner could see, he motioned to the needle tracks on the man's arm. "Looks like he's a drug addict." 

****** 

Twenty four hours had passed and they were no further along then they had been two weeks ago. Westphalen had spent most of the day contacting people who might have seen Nathan while he attended the marine biology conference but every thing seemed normal. Bridger had been where he was suppose to be, when he was supposed to be. There seemed to be no hint of foul play, when some one would have had the chance to snatch the Captain and rig the shuttle for an explosion. They were still waiting on a background check of the employees from the ship yard. 

Kristin felt like a traitor, walking around with the secret. She could barely restrain from blurting out the news, especially when she ran into Lucas. He had been rushing down the corridor, carrying papers, which he dropped when they collided. She had felt so guilty, and swore that Lucas looked at her like he knew what was going on. 

As she helped him picked up the papers, the teen asked, "Did you mention my findings to the Commander ?" 

"Yes but..." she started before he interrupted. 

"Excellent. I'm working on something else that will convince everyone that the Captain is still alive," he whispered secretly. "Gotta run!" He gave her a small smile and took off down the corridor. 

She stared after him, not quite sure if she should be concerned or not. If she had not known that Nathan was, most likely, alive, she would be dragging the teen to counseling. It was obvious the boy did not handle death well. 

On the other hand, Lucas had gained quite a reputation for uncovering important information . Kristin decided to talk to Ford about telling the teen and letting the teen work his computer magic. 

On the bridge, the Commander currently had his own problems. He was distracted and found it hard to stay focused on his duties. The bridge crew were exchanging worried glances when they thought he wasn't looking and O'Neill had repeatedly asked him if he was alright. Lying was not one of those things he did well and he couldn't help but feel like a traitor, keeping the knowledge that their Captain might be alive from the crew. 

"Call coming in from Noyce, Sir. He requesting a private call in the wardroom with Dr. Westphalen." Tim looked over to Miguel with a raised eyebrow. There had been a lot of private phone calls, more so than usual. Rumor had it that a new Captain had finally been assigned to seaQuest and that was why Ford had been acting so strangely. 

"Commander, you have the Bridge." Ford gave a nod to Hitchcock as he hurried to the clamshell doors but Katie surprised him by stepping in front of him. 

"Jonathan, what is going on?" Katie hissed at him, mindful of causing a scene while on the bridge but tired of feeling that she was missing out on something. 

"Nothing Katie. Everything is fine." Keeping his eyes focused on her chin, he tried a reassuring smile on her. 

"Wipe that fake smile off your face and look me in the eye ! Everything is NOT fine and you're lying to me. I have the right to know what's going on here, for the safety of this boat." 

Ford took her elbow and rushed her out the door towards the Mag Lev. "Katie, I can't tell you but wait till I'm done with Noyce. We're working on something, but I don't want to get people's hopes up yet." He held up his hand as Katie opened her mouth to protest. "I'm not saying anything more." As he stepped into the Mag Lev, he turned back to her and added, "Now would be a good time to say a prayer for Nathan Bridger, though." 

*** Karel Black 1999 


	2. Default Chapter Title

Spider's Web Part 2 

Balancing on the edge of the moon pool, Lucas let his hand skim the surface of the water, and then let the water drip off his fingers. He was wasting time till his computer could complete the search program he running. Totally convinced that the last audio transmission was fake, he was checking on the employees of the ship yard where the shuttle had been housed and hoped that would open a new door for him to work with. 

"A penny for your thoughts ?" 

Startled out of his thoughts, Lucas whirled around to see Ben's smiling face. "Ben, you trying to give me a heart attack ?" He settled back on the floor, playing with his shirt sleeves. 

"Hey, kid, how are you doing ? Ford asked me to check on you. He wanted to come himself but he's up to his neck in paper work." Kreig make himself comfortable on the floor next to the teen. Lucas stared off into the distance for a few minutes, wondering what to say. He knew the others were worried about him, but if he told Ben that he was looking for evidence that Bridger was still alive, they'd send the men in white coats to cart him off to the funny farm. 

Ben studied the teen's face, wondering how to tell him that the others were concerned. The teen had been too quietly lately, working late into the night, missing meals and avoiding the rest of the crew. "When my father died, I cried for days, then I became very angry at him for leaving us." Ben put his arm around the youth, hoping that if he shared his experience, the boy would be able to talk to him. "I realized later on that it made my father's death that much harder on my mother, that I was hurting her too because I couldn't accept what had happened. I distanced myself from my family for two year and that was the biggest mistake I ever made. I know this is difficult, but you have to accept reality. The Captain is dead." 

The teen turned to stare directly in Ben's eyes. "I thought you were an optimist, Ben. What if it's a mistake, what if he's still alive ? What would it take to convince you ?" 

Ben sighed. Well, he tried. Patting the kid on the back, he replied sadly, "Not this time. We saw the explosion, saw the body. It's time to move on." 

Lucas muttered quietly, "You're just like every other adult" as Ben walked towards the door. After Ben had left, Lucas bent back over the moon pool, playing with the water again, thinking about the last time he and the Captain had played basketball with Darwin. A fin headed towards him, cutting through the water and he jumped up to grab the vocorder. 

"Darwin ! Where have you been?" Reaching back into the water, he rubbed the melon of his mammal friend. "I was worried, you were gone so long. Did you find anything ?" 

"Bridger fuzzy." Darwin slapped the water with his fin, sending a splash of water through the air. "Not light, not dark. Need Lucas, need Kristin. Bridger sad, Darwin sad." 

" Are you saying the Captain is still alive ? Did you see him, Darwin, do you know where he is ? Lucas tried to remain calm and patient, wrapping his arms around his body trying to contain his excitement. 

"Bridger send pictures of bad lady, of buildings, of pain. Pictures now sick place. Lucas help Bridger ? Bridger fuzzy. " The dolphin sent another deluge of water flying as if to emphasize his words. 

Exhilarated by the news that the Captain was alive, Lucas gave the dolphin a quick pat. "Thanks, Dar. I have to go find Ford and bring him back here. Maybe together we can find Bridger and help him." The teen left the room in a flying run to the bridge. 

******** 

Kristin tiredly raised her head from it's resting place on the table and yawned as a greeting when Ford marched briskly into the room. 

"How do you do it, Commander ?" 

Ford gave her a confused look. "Do what, Doctor ?" 

"Look so military prim and proper all the time. You're pulling double shifts, doing your job and the Captain's job, and dealing with all the emotional upset swirling around this boat and you still look fresh as a daisy." 

Dropping in a chair, he stated honestly, "It's my job, Kristin. It's what Nathan would expect me to do. If I stop working, and start thinking, I won't be an effective leader. I'm as upset as Lucas is about this but some one has to be in charge, and everybody is depending on me. I can't crawl up in a ball and pretend it's not real." 

Reaching out to pat his hand, Kristin said softly, "Nathan would be proud of you." 

The screen beeped and Noyce's weary features appeared on the screen before them. "We found him," he announced solemnly. 

"Please, Bill, he's alive, isn't he ? Please, tell us he's alive." Kristin whispered the words, scared to hear what Noyce would say next. Ford took her hand in his to give her emotional support. 

"The police found him in an alley in a small town about twenty miles from here, mistaking him for a drunk at first. He's .... in bad shape. The doctor says he had so many different drugs in his system that it will take days to clean his blood." Noyce had been horrified to see the needle marks in Nathan's arms, and the bruises on his body. "He has two broken ribs, various cuts and scrapes, and is suffering from memory loss." 

Ford and Kristin gave each other a big hug and smiled happily. 

"Where is he ? We're coming to see him !" Ford exclaimed excitedly. 

"Right after we tell the crew the good news." Kristin added. 

"Didn't you hear me ?" Noyce asked in disbelief. "Nathan is not himself and is not ready for a stream of well wishers. He's confused, disoriented and emotionally disturbed. Obviously, some maniac has made every effort to destroy him for the last two weeks. There are also security concerns since we have no idea who's behind this and what the purpose was. It might be better for now if Nathan Bridger stays dead." 

"No." Ford's voice was full of emotion. " I cannot keep lying to this crew. They deserve to know the truth." 

Kristin chimed in,"Neither can I, Bill. I feel like a traitor, knowing the Captain's still alive. I can't go on like this." 

"You knew ?" The angry voice behind them made them whirl around to see the beet red face of an enraged teenager. "You knew the Captain was alive but let everyone wallow in their grief ? Did you sit behind closed doors laughing at everybody's pain ?" Lucas knew he was being unreasonable, but he had been riding an emotional edge for two weeks and he was exhausted. Thinking that they had been playing mind games was more than he could take. "Did you think it was some sort of experiment ? I tried to convince you that something was going on, Doctor and you wouldn't take the time to listen. I never thought that you could be that cruel, either of you." The last part of the sentence trailed off with a sob, as the teen turned and ran. 

Kristin stood up to go after the boy, but Jonathan restrained her with a hand on her arm. "Wait, give him some time. He's not thinking right now, didn't mean what he said. Once we explain, he'll understand it was the only way to do it." 

Kristin sat down again. "We're coming, Bill. Don't order us not to or you'll have a mutiny on your hands. Where is he ?" she demanded in a no nonsense voice. 

****** 

The car pulled up outside St. Anne's, a small hospital in the town of Wenonah, thirty miles from New Cape Quest. Ford and Bill Noyce got out of the front seat while Kristin, Lucas and Ben Krieg piled out of the back seat. 

"...now that employee, um, White, has not reported for work for two weeks, hasn't even come for his pay check." Noyce finished briefing Ford and Kristin on the employee check at the UEO dock while Ben and Lucas trailed a few paces behind. 

Lucas still wore a scowl on his face, refusing to speak to Kristin and Ford, even after they had apologized and explained their side of it. 

"Hey, too bad you missed the party last night. You could have danced with Katie." Ben put a friendly arm around the teen. "Bet you're feeling really happy right now. Are you ready to see the Captain ?" 

At that thought, Lucas' mouth widened into a happy smile, relieved that the nightmare was over and things could get back to normal. "Darwin was not happy when I told him he'd have to wait. I thought he was going to throw himself on the land and try to walk to the hospital." 

Walking into the cool, peaceful hospital, they stopped at the front desk to ask about the Captain's room. The nurse gave them a distracted smile and shuffled through her papers. Frowning, she looked closer at the paper and moved to pick up a phone, talking in whispers. Finally, she hung up and said, "Uh, Dr. Ryan will be down in a minute to brief you on the Captain's condition if you would wait over by those chairs." The group shuffled over to the waiting area. 

A few minutes passed as the small group sat quietly, exchanging small smiles, pats of comfort, while they casually passed the time examining the other visitors and the hospital. Soon, a slight bald man dressed in hospital scrubs approached them hurriedly, tightly clutching papers. "Yes, hello, you're the group from the UEO here to see about Captain Bridger," he asked in a slow southern drawl, holding out his hand. Noyce shook it and introduced everyone. "I'm Dr. Ryan." The Captain is doing as well as can be expected after such heavy drug use. I'm surprised that the UEO hasn't done anything about his substance abuse before now." He looked at them with a long frown of disapproval. "To think he was in charge of nuclear weapons..." 

Noyce cut him off with an angry voice as the others stared in shock at what the Doctor was suggesting. "Nathan Bridger is not a drug user. He was involved in an undercover mission, was captured and probably drugged for interrogation. Please keep your comments to his medical condition and recovery." 

Ryan shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, but after what Mrs. Bridger had been telling us..." "What!" The word emerged out of five mouths simultaneously, using the same tone of disbelief. Noyce held up his hand to signal the others to be quiet. "Doctor," Noyce began in a hard tone, "Bridger is a widower, there is no Mrs. Bridger." 

"But... a lovely blonde woman has been visiting him every day since he was brought here three days ago. She seems quite devoted to him, asking when he can come home." 

Ford was bringing his PAL up to his mouth even as Noyce turned to him and demanded, "We need to secure this hospital quickly." 

"Already on it, sir." The Commander moved to the side to speak quietly to the boat. 

Kristin turned to the Doctor with her best smile. "Do you have security cameras set up ? Maybe we can get some pictures of the mystery women?" 

Flustered by this sudden turn of events, the Doctor replied, "We have one camera at the main entrance...we're just a small hospital and we've never had any problems before..." He trailed off in confusion. 

"Until Captain Bridger leaves this hospital, no one will be able to sneeze without UEO security knowing. If you have some one escort me to security, you can take Kreig, Lucas and Dr. Westphalen to see the Captain." 

"Um, yes." The doctor signaled to a nurse, gave whispered instructions. "Nurse Brenion will take you up, Admiral. If the rest of you will come with me." He headed down the hallway with the others trailing behind until he stopped, pulling Kristin alongside of him. Whispering confidentially, he said to her, "Perhaps it would be better for the child to wait. The Captain's condition may disturb him and ...." 

Kristin glared at him with displeasure. "The young man is one of the Captain's closest friends, this week has been an emotional ordeal for him and I refuse to make him suffer any longer." She returned Lucas' smile of relief with a small grin but her eyes threw crystal daggers at the Doctor. 

Clearing his throat, the Doctor began a run down of his patient's medical condition. "Short term memory loss, ten stitches on the forehead, broken ribs, broken nose, puncture wounds on the forearms, dehydration, and seizures..." 

With a small sigh, Ryan opened a door and stood back to usher the others in. Lucas practically knocked Kristin and Ben out of his way, rushing in, excited to see the Captain. He came to a quick stop at the foot of the bed, aghast at the haggard, frail looking figure in the bed. This had to be a mistake, this couldn't be his energetic, charismatic Captain that could produce shivers down the spine with a look. 

Kristin moved to the head of the bed, moving carefully around the monitors that were pumping medicine into the Captain's body, helping him breathe, counting the beats of his heart. "Oh, Nathan," she sighed in a small sad voice. "Who did this to you?" She softly caressed his hand as Ben wrapped an arm around her waist. 

"It's going to be all right, Kristin. He's back with us now, and everything will work out." Ben glanced up to see the look of alarm in the teen's eyes. "Come here, Lucas. It's still the Captain, under the bandages and the stitches. Sure, he wouldn't win a beauty contest anytime soon but before you know it, he'll be bellowing at you to fix the computers or clean your room." Kreig reached out to pull the teen to the bedside. 

The teen stared down at the unshaven, pale face of the Nathan Bridger, pulled a chair closer to the bed and plopped down in it. The Captain had always been there when he needed him and now it was time to return the favor. 

Several hours later, the teenager was still sitting in the chair flipping through a magazine. Krieg and Westphalen had gone to the cafeteria to get food and coffee, Ford had returned to the seaQuest and Noyce had gone back to headquarters. A security guard had been posted outside the door, checking everyone who visited the room. The blonde woman had not reappeared and her image had not been captured on the security camera, which left everyone to assume that she had known about the camera and had avoided it. Which left everyone very nervous, not knowing what her next move would be or what sort of threat she posed. 

A groan from the bed made Lucas look up, into dull hazel eyes squinting at him. 

"Are you a friend of Robert's?" Bridger stretched carefully on the bed, yawning. 

Lucas wasn't quite sure of the proper response to a question like that. "Ah, no, Sir. How are you feeling ?" 

"Like a ten ton dolphin ran over me," the Captain mumbled. "Where's Carol, she's always here when I wake up, where did she go." His voice raised a couple of octaves, crying, "Carol?" Lucas rose from the chair, confused as he approached the bed. "She's not here, sir. Don't you remember? Your wife and your son are...." 

Pushing slightly upward, dragging his body, Bridger started to panic, twisting and turning his head. "Who are you? " he demanded, a wild look on his face. "What have you done to my family?" He collapsed on the bed, body racked with spasms. "No, not again, Carol...." The groans died out as his eyes rolled back in his head and the monitors started beeping. 

A nurse and a doctor rushed in followed, by Kristin and Ben. Lucas backed slowly away from the bed, in horror, as Kristin wrapped him in her arms. They moved into the corner, out of the way, as the doctor worked on the Captain. 

Sadly, Lucas said, "He doesn't remember. He thinks his wife and son are still alive, didn't know who I was." 

Kristin rubbed his back comforting. "Confusion is to be expected after the drugs. His kidnappers are probably counting on that. That's why the women is here, saying she's his wife. Who knows what she told him." 

"He was in pain and now, who's going to tell him that his family is dead ? The loss drove him away last time, what's going to happen when he has to recover from the deaths again?" Lucas was furious, at the kidnappers for causing the pain, at himself for acting hysterically. 

"Lucas," Kristin demanded sharply, to get the teen's attention. "Last time, he didn't have anyone to help him, this time he has a new family. I'm not saying it will be easy but he'll get through it. We have to help him and, while his memories from the last week may never return, his life will get back to something resembling normal." Seeing the commotion around the bed had ended, leaving a sedated, resting Nathan Bridger comfortable in bed, she moved to follow the doctor out of the room. "I'm going to speak to the Doctor and see about transferring him back to the boat." 

Ben collapsed in the chair, patted the Captain gingerly just to reassure himself and settled back with the magazine Lucas had been reading. "She's right, you know." 

Lucas paced across the room, giving Krieg a scowl. "She's usually is," he said with an irritated grunt. 

***** 

The sun had set before the Captain awoke again. A feeling of deja vu swept over Lucas and he tensed up, even though Kristin and Ben were with him this time. 

Waving the others off with a hand, Westphalen approached the bed cautiously. "Nathan ?" Bridger blinked a few times, wiping at his eyes with his hand, trying to clear his head. "Kristin?" His voice was stressed, hoarse. Turning his head slightly, he saw Lucas, who looked like he was ready to jump any minute, and Krieg, who looked like he was ready to hold the teen down. "Lucas...I thought Carol was here...she was sitting there, talking to me..." He cleared his throat a few times, studying faces, machines, the air. "What happened?" 

"We were sort of hoping you could tell us, Sir," Ben replied with a crooked grin. 

There was silence for a few minutes as the Captain looked off into the distance, organizing his memories, suppressing emotions that came flooding to the surface. "I had left the conference dinner, heading to the dock..." he started haltingly. "I was looking for a taxi when a man came barreling up the sidewalk, knocked me off balance, and kept going. Two other men approached, and helped me up, apologizing for their friend, saying he had drunk too much. The man who had run off must have come up from behind and all the sudden there was a gun poking into my back. The two who were supposed to be 'helping' me were actually blocking my way, pushing me back into an alley." He took a deep breath, the helpless feeling overcoming him. "Next thing I know, I'm lying in the backseat of a car." Grabbing a glass, he drank thirstily. "Everything else is still pretty hazy... there was a women...and a doctor with sharp pointy things...and lots of voices droning in my ear." 

Krieg threw the others a worried look, concerned for the Captain's tenuous emotional hold after reliving his experience. "Maybe we should wait till tomorrow..." he suggested. 

"No, no, I need to get it all out now. I know about drug withdrawal and I imagine that I'll be having some really incredible nightmares for weeks to come. If I talk now, maybe I'll get some version of the truth. 

"How did you escape?" Kristin prompted. 

"I was back in a car again, the woman said 'we were going home and wouldn't I *enjoy* that." He grimaced at the memory. " I couldn't see her face clearly; she was wearing a hat, sunglasses. I played possum, like I was sleeping, which was too far from the truth. Amazingly, I found the door handle and, when the car felt like it was slowing, I threw myself out." Nathan grew quiet again, thinking about the alley and the terror that had coursed through his body when he thought he had been captured again. "There were two police officers in an alley, they must have brought me in. I've had crazy hallucinations... that Carol was here, sitting, talking to me...." Turning his head slightly, his eyes watering, he took a couple of deep breaths. His emotions were raw, from thinking Carol had still been alive. Then the sweeping agony of realization that she was gone engulfed him and the grief was almost as overwhelming as the first time. 

Lucas slowly moved over to the bed, timid but not liking the awkward quiet that suddenly consumed the room. He thought back the when the Captain had first awoke, looking for his wife. The teen had not, up to that point, lost anyone close to him until they thought Bridger was gone. He had slowly realized how much grief must occur at the death of a loved one, how Bridger had managed to turn his back on the rest of the world. It had been a thunderbolt that had rocked his world and it hurt even worse to see the Captain in pain again. He gave the Captain a warm smile, putting his arms around him, just for a second, for a quick squeeze. It was enough, he thought, to express the relief he felt, and maybe give the Captain some comfort. "We thought you were dead," he said, by way of explanation, a slight flush on his cheeks for such a gesture. 

Ben tousled the teen's hair with a laugh. "Hey, kid, you're getting soft on us." 

Lucas threw him a playful punch, but settled more securely on the bed next to Bridger as the Captain wiggled over to the edge to make more room. 

Putting a hand on the boy's shoulder, the Captain simply gave him an affectionate smile and then flashed an amused glance at the two other adults. Wondering if he had earned himself a temporary shadow, he made a note to talk with Kristin about the teen and how he had handled the whole incident. 

Kristin was pretty sure she knew what Nathan was thinking, as they tended to share the same 'parental' thoughts when Lucas was concerned. "We do have a problem, Nathan. There was, or is, a blonde women involved somehow." She waited for a few seconds for this to sink in, and continued, "She's visited several times, claiming she's your wife, wanting to know when you could go home." Krieg chimed in, " Ford and Noyce have security beefed up to the gills but it's making the hospital very nervous. They haven't been too shy about asking how soon we could be out of here." Nathan played with the edge of the blanket, chewing on his lip, questions starting to swirl in his brain. "Lay out all the cards here, Kristin. Is it safe for me to return to seaQuest ? Someone is out to destroy me; I may be putting everyone at risk. And there is the whole medical question: what about side effects from the drugs? I can't retain my command authority if I'm reduced to a babbling idiot. It might be best if you tuck me away in a UEO safe house." 

"Now, Nathan, you know that I know that isn't your style. You'd go stir- crazy away from the action. From what you told me, your memory is pretty much intact, which is better than we expected. The only way you're going to get better is by accepting what happened and by moving past this point. Frankly, the crew won't be able to settle down until you're back on seaQuest, in your usual spot." 

Seeing that Bridger wasn't reassured by the Doctor's words, Ben added, "Besides, what can happen on a boat in the bottom of an ocean? I don't think you could get better security." 

Bridger still wasn't happy about the whole thing, but the others were right. He was already tired of laying flat on his back in a hospital bed after being awake for only an hour but he had no delusions that Kristin would not be hovering over him every minute of the day. On the other hand, he'd at least have the freedom to move around seaQuest, and he would feel more secure on his own boat. If he was lucky, who ever had started this whole thing would crawl back under the rock they had come from. 

Kristin moved towards the door. "I'll go make arrangements for transport back to the boat. I also want to make sure I have enough supplies, just in case you decide to pull any medical surprises on me." She hustled off down the hallway, glad to have something to do. 

Yawning loudly, Nathan settled back in the bed, feeling exhausted from the conversation. Taking the hint, Lucas moved off the bed into a chair while Ben settled into another chair. 

"Sorry, I need to go back to sleep for awhile," Nathan slurred, already half asleep. 

"We'll wake you when it's time to leave," Lucas reassured him as started rummaging through the newspaper, feeling better about life. 

>Part three to come!!<

**** Karel Black 1999 


	3. Default Chapter Title

Spider's Web part 3 

It was late that night before they were able to roll the wheelchair bearing Captain Bridger out of the hospital. The crisp night air was in sharp contrast to the sterile warm hospital. 

Nathan's nerves were on edge and, to his unhappiness, he found himself flinching at all the small subtle night noises. So many things sounded abnormally loud to him: a door slamming, a dog barking, a horn on a car, though his friends didn't seem to notice. They kept giving him happy smiles and pats, reassuring themselves that he was really there and going home with them. Icy tendrils curled around his spine and he tried to control his breathing. Straining his neck to look at the bushes, he was sure that someone was there, watching them. Great, Bridger thought, now I'm turning into a paranoid maniac. Maybe a hospital was where he belonged. 

Krieg opened the back door and Lucas was at his elbow, helping him up. "I'm not a invalid." Bridger brushed the teen away, as he willed his legs to stop acting like rubber bands and arched himself into the car. Lucas got in with him while Ben took the driver's seat. Kristin was opening the front door to get in beside Ben when a nurse came running out of the hospital. 

"Captain !" she yelled, and leaned into the open door. "This was sitting on the front desk for you." She thrust a yellow rose, with a note attached by a ribbon. Taking it, Lucas read out loud. "My love, we'll be together again soon...." 

"Yellow roses were always Carol's favorite." Bridger sniffed the flower and then paled at the significance of the note. 

"She's here, she was watching us," he whispered, alarmed. 

"Ben, we need to get back to seaQuest." Kristin did not like the tone of Nathan's voice or the panicked look in his eyes. She needed him calm and quiet, with stress kept to a minimum. It gave her chills that whoever had kidnaped him was still running around loose and, by the looks of the note, she would not give up on her prey. 

As Ben maneuvered the car through traffic, Kristin used the phone to call Noyce to let him know of the latest development. Nathan leaned back against the seat, trying to suppress the anxiety bubbling in his veins, as he felt Lucas' cool hand lightly pat his hand. 

************ 

He was back in the chair, his mind awashed in pain and torment as the blonde laughed hysterically as he struggled. 

"I love you, Nathan, you'll be mine and we'll live happily ever after" The woman was dressed in a white wedding dress, chanting over and over again as she threw hypodermic needles at him. Arms swinging, he blindly struck out in front of him, wondering who was screaming. The scene changed as Carol's face appeared, distorted, floating around in front of him in the blackness. "Help me, Nathan, help me.... tell her what she wants to know...she won't let me go...." 

He watched in horror as Carol's features transformed and twisted into that of Marilyn Stark. Ruby red lips blew kisses at him. "I've waited a long time for you, Nathan, and I won't give you up now," the lips declared passionately as the face grew smaller and smaller until there was nothing but darkness. 

Rolling from side to side until a heavy object pressed down on top of him, he kicked his legs helplessly. "Carol! No, let me go! Help, Carol! No, not again....", he whimpered. The needle... no, no, more drugs...he started to hyperventilate. 

"Nathan, wake up.... stop fighting us...it's a dream...now wake up!" The firm tone of Kristin Westphalen finally broke through the fog. 

'Kristin?" Groaning, he relaxed as the dream faded and he looked into the worried face of the Doctor. 

"Captain, we have to stop meeting like this," the Doctor said humorlessly. This ritual had been occuring for three nights and was getting to be too much for all of them. She backed up a few steps but kept the syringe filled with a sedative ready in her hand. 

"It was Stark ! This is her idea of revenge." Easing himself out of the bed, he started pacing the cabin. "That's why she didn't kill me. She was drugging me for information to sell but then she planned to brainwash me into thinking we were married. She had some convoluted plan about going to the island and living alone, isolated, as Carol and I did after Robert was killed. I have to call Bill, let him know about my dream." 

Kristin put out a hand to stop his nervous pacing. "Nathan. I'll tell Noyce about Stark and we can investigate her whereabouts. You have to calm down and get some sleep or I'll have to strap you down in Med Bay with a strong sedative. You're wearing yourself out and your body can't recover." 

"I know, Kristin, don't you think I want to sleep ?" Bridger snapped at her angrily, as he collasped on the bed. "Do you think I like feeling like the whole world is spinning out of control?" 

"I'm sorry, Nathan. I wish I could do more for you, but it's going to take time." She pushed him into the bed with one hand, pulling the covers up over him. "Concentrate on the fact that we have a name now, that it's not some face less enemy. You're on seaQuest and she can't get to you here." Talking soothingly, she was satisfied to see that Bridger had slipped back into sleep quickly. As she crept out the door, she prayed he stayed that way for at least five hours. 

********* 

The Captain stalked into his cabin, threw the papers onto his desk, and dropped, exhausted, on his bed. His head felt three sizes too large for his body and he was tired of being happy and cheerful, the proud Captain showing off for his crew. As much as he tried to convince everyone, things were not all right and he was fighting a losing battle. The bile rose in his throat and he hurried for the toilet, his stomach doing flip flops. After flushing his lunch down the drain, he washed his face and stared at his likeness in the mirror : Blood shot eyes, two day old stubble, gray complexion. Of course, days of nausea and nights full of nightmares would be detrimental to anyone, especially some one recovering from withdrawal from three separate drugs. The sleeping pills that Kristin had finally agreed to let him have brought him relief only a few hours at a time. Commander Ford was technically still in command while he was listed on the Med Bay inactive list. It was a sticky situation, because Ford felt it necessary to clear every decision with him and wanted him to read every report before it was filed. He was grateful for Jonathan's loyalty but knew the boat could not run with two Captain's and tried to stay off the bridge and in the background as much as possible. The rest of the crew either overindulged him, being inordinately polite and attentive or ran in the opposite direction whenever he was around. No one quite knew what to say or how to act, which was more annoying than if they told him to buzz off. At least Kristin had no qualms about doing that. She was always bringing him food to eat or telling him to take a nap. 

He sat at the desk, looking through the police reports from now what was called 'the case'. It was such a simple name for such a complex sets of events, it was almost laughable. The body from the explosion, the body that was supposed to be HIS corpse, had finally been identified as a homeless man whose friends had said he had been flashing around a wallet full of money, talking about an easy job he had picked up. An employee from the dock had been found stuffed in an ice cooler at the bottom of the river, and a large deposit of money had been recently made to his bank account. The police were assuming he had been the one to sabotage the shuttle. No witnesses had come forward from the night he was taken prisoner and while they had done extensive interviews with the police officers who had found him in the alley, there had been no leads. Then there were the presents and the notes. The flower was just the beginning. UEO had sent security to check out the island house and they had found the table set for a romantic dinner, with flowers, wine and candles. 

An envelope had arrived in the mail containing half a picture. It from his wedding day and he looked dignified in his dress whites. The other half, of Carol in her wedding dress, had been shredded into small pieces. The note with it read "She's gone but I'm waiting to give you a lifetime of happiness". That, alone, had produced a night of disturbing dreams which set his mind spinning. 

Looking up at the knock on his cabin door, he frowned when Lucas came bouncing in, long hair flying. 

"Captain ! You've got to talk to Hitchcock for me. How am I ever going to improve the Stinger if she won't help me with the materials and the design ?" 

The teen was in full blown sulk and Bridger could feel his own stress building as his headache grew to epic proportions. Listening to the teen with one ear, he started to read the hospital report. 

"Captain, you're not listening to me !" The boy was whining, staring at him expectantly. "I really need your help with this ..." Hitching his hip on the desk, the teen accidently knocked over a glass water, and a stream poured out over the desk. 

Bridger lunged for the papers, flinging water drops across the room. "Dammit, Lucas ! Look what you did !" He shouted angrily, temper rising, as Lucas ran to the bathroom and brought back a towel. Taking the towel, Bridger blotted the water up from the desk, shifting papers to the floor. "How can you be so careless ?" 

The teen backed away from the desk, his blue eyes wide, watching the Captain as he raged at him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry !" Bridger continued on, oblivious to the bewilderment on Lucas' face. "I can't help you, I can't solve all your problems for you." A thought struck him and he slumped in the chair, head buried in his hands. "How can I help you, when I can't even help myself," he said, sounded frustrated and worn out. 

Lucas, ready to run, wasn't quite sure what to do. The Captain never acted like that, never yelled at anyone, well, maybe Ben sometimes but he never acted so... unreasonable. He felt like he was home with his parents, who berated his every move, seeing every accident as a major problem. Approaching the desk, he leaned against the desk, next to Bridger, asking in a hesitant voice, "Captain ? It'll be fine, see, the papers are all right and I'm really sorry I knocked the glass over. I'll be more careful." Bridger hadn't moved, sitting there, head in hands, eyes closed. "Should I call Doctor Westphalen for you?" A hand reached out, and locked onto his arm, fingers squeezing him, gradually tightening. "Sir ?" Lucas was starting to feel more than anxious about the Captain's strange behavior. "Sir, you're hurting me." He had been unsure about how to act around Bridger and Kristin had told him to act normal, but this was far from normal. 

The Captain raised his head, and looked at the teen, but his eyes held a far away look, head cocked, almost like he was listening to something. They stayed that way for a few minutes, Bridger's hand wrapped around the teen's arm, like it was his only link to reality. And then it was over, and Bridger seemed to shake his head, snapping out of his reverie. 

"Lucas ? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled." He gave the boy a small smile, unwrapping his hand and using it to give him a quick hug to apologize. "This whole ordeal has me so twisted and disturbed, I can't function anymore." He stood up, pushing his chair back. "And you know what? I've had enough. Marilyn wants to play games with my head but two can play that game." He started for the door as Lucas was trying to deal with the sudden change of attitude. "Do me a favor ? Find Kristin and bring her to the wardroom. She'll want to put her two cents into this." 

**** 

"No, this is not going to work and it's too dangerous for you." Ford's look was stern and he didn't want to hear anymore of this foolish plan. "It's a good thing that it's not your decision, then, is it, Commander ?" Bridger's tone was mild, with a hint of humor, but he could be as stubborn as Jonathan. He had reached his breaking point and if he didn't try this, well, they might as well book him a room in the psychiatric ward. Surprisingly, Kristin seemed to actually be considering the idea but probably only because she had a major role in the plan. Crocker had said a few negative things, and Katie had an ominous look in her eye but most of the others had not raised much of a fuss and seemed supportive. Turning to Lucas, he asked, "Are you OK with this, think you can handle it ?" 

Lucas did not like it one bit but he knew his protests would fall on deaf ears. In the back of his mind, he saw the Captain, head bowed at his desk, defeated and he knew that Bridger needed to do this. "Yeah, it'll be weird though. I never had a normal family life so I'm not sure how to act." 

Bridger patted him on the shoulder. "You'll be fine, just be yourself. Now, we'll give Section Seven a day to get there and set things up. Crocker, put together a crew and leave in an hour since I know you won't be happy unless you check things out for yourself. Noyce'll make a public announcement on Thursday and we'll be dropped off Thursday afternoon. Jonathan, take the boat far enough away so you won't be detected but close enough so you can make it back in an hour if we need you." 

Ford looked down at the table, collecting his thoughts, knowing that the decision had been made and he had nothing left to say in the matter. "Sir, was there more between you and Stark than a teacher and student relationship?" he asked delicately. 

Sighing, Nathan looked at the other faces around the table, curiosity shining in their eyes. Leave it to Jonathan to be the one to ask but they did have a right to know. "We... dated for awhile and Marilyn was pressuring me for more of a commitment. Right after she graduated, I met Carol and fell in love. Marilyn never did understand, so this is her way of getting revenge, I guess." 

"A woman scorned..." Kristin observed quietly. 

"But what if she doesn't take the bait." Katie had been listening quietly to everyone but now spoke up. "Maybe she's decided that she's finished with you and has moved on to something else." 

"I wish that was true, but I know Marilyn. She's like a pit bull after a bone. After all the work she's done to set up the kidnaping, and the presents.... she's not done with me yet. She's out there waiting, weaving the web for her next surprise. That's why I want do this, force her hand and try to draw her out. She won't be able to resist, particularly after Bill makes his announcement." He smiled widely, happy to be able to put up an offense after playing defense for so long. "And if she has decided to leave well enough alone, at least we get a nice vacation of sand and sun for a few days. Let's get moving. Kristin and Lucas, packed enough clothes for a week, it might take her awhile. Cocker, I'll meet you in launch bay in an hour." As the others moved to the door, he held Hitchcock back. "I need to talk to you for a minute." ***** 

The sun beat down, and he wiped the sweat from his forehead, as he dragged the small boat down the beach. Lucas saw the Captain and Kristin come out from the house, scan the beach for him, wave, and walk towards him. 

After three quiet days on Bridger's island, Lucas was getting bored. There had been no sight of Marilyn Stark, and, as time passed, the small group had become less suspicious and more comfortable. At first, they stuck together, mostly reading, working on the computer or swimming on the beach, not straying far from the house. But., as time passed, Lucas became more trusting of the various security measures that Section Seven had installed and feeling trapped with two adults breathing down his neck. 

"Yeah, what's up ? Can I take the kayak out for a bit ?" Lucas secretly hoped that neither of them would give him a hard time. He liked his companions but he was getting a bit tired of the family life thing. 

"Nathan wants to go for a walk." Kristin gave a sideways glance at the Captain and then gave the teen her special 'don't ask' look. 

"Can't I stay here ? I promise to be careful and I'll even go into the house and lock all the doors. She wants you, Captain, not me and there's enough security around that all I have to do is grab the nearest tree and scream and Crocker'll swoop down from the sky, like a big bird." The teen put on his best wide eyed, pleading look. 

"You stay in the house, and carry a PAL at all times and if you hear anything strange, you call, understand." Bridger gave him a stern look until Lucas nodded vigorously in agreement, then patted him on the back and marched off down the beach. "Coming, Doctor ?" 

"We're going to visit his wife's grave. Do you know where it is?" After the teen's yes, she added, "Stay in the house, out of trouble. Play with your computer for awhile." She turned to pick a few flowers from the garden and hurried after the Captain. 

After they faded from view, Lucas jogged to the house, anxious for some time alone. Sitting down at the computer, he got ready for a romp through the internex. A few minuted passed, and he started to notice how ... empty... the house was, how alone he felt. Alone and vulnerable, ripe pickings for a deranged woman. 

Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all. What if something happened to Bridger and Kristin, if something was out there waiting, he thought to himself. They'd need back up, wouldn't they? Some one to run for help. Looking cautiously both ways, he moved rapidly to the door, down the steps and in the same direction that the Captain and Kristin went. They couldn't have gotten too far. 

***** 

Carol's gravesite was besides a small stream, on a hilltop over looking the ocean. Nathan sat Indian style next to his wife's grave, speaking quietly. Kristin stood a few steps away, looking out of the water, to give him privacy. 

"So you've found yourself a new family, Nathan? I'm still not good enough for you?" 

Nathan looked up at the bitter voice and saw Marilyn Stark standing in front of him, gun pointed at him. 

Forcing himself to stay calm, he rose slowly, a fake smile on his face. This would be the hard part, the part he dreaded. Putting Kristin and Lucas in danger was the last thing he wanted to do, but it seemed like the only way to drag Stark out from where ever she was hiding. Going on vacation with his 'adopted family' was a guaranteed way to catch her attention. Now he had to keep things under control until security got to them, which should only be a few minutes. As much as he hated Section Seven, he knew they were professionals and experts in security. If he could keep Stark talking, it would all be over quickly. At least Lucas was safely tucked away in the house. Throwing a reassuring smile in Kristin's direction, he stood up to face Stark, be careful to keep his body between her and the Doctor. He noticed that Stark was by herself. Over estimating her enemy again or did she have another plan up her sleeve, he wondered. Casually stretching and rolling his shoulders, Bridger secretly activated the listening device on his belt. He knew that O'Neill was out there, listening to and recording every word that was said. 

"She's my doctor and I'm still recovering from the effects of our last meeting. I need some one to wake me after the nightmares, " Bridger said with a touch of annoyance. 

"And the boy ? I saw the three of you, sitting around in the sun, laughing. That could have been us, Nathan, you and me and our child," Marilyn said, longing in her voice. 

Trying to keep Marilyn's attention on himself, he gestured behind his back for Kristin to get away. "It would never be us, Marilyn. There was nothing between us, it was all in your head." 

"You're wrong, Nathan. If that witch, Carol, hadn't come along, I would have been your wife. We could have built the seaQuest together. Who knows, maybe we would have two - his and hers, like matching towels. I would command the military vessel and you could keep one for your precious science." Marilyn seemed amused by this thought, seemingly unconcerned at the Doctor's disappearance, as the gun droop downwards. "Are you happy, Nathan ? When I saw you again, I remember all the good times we spent together." She sat down on Carol's gravestone, ignoring the fact that Nathan's body suddenly stiffened. "We can keep the kid around, if that will make you happy, as long as he promises to behave. The Doctor - well, I'm afraid I'll have to dispose of her. Should I poison her, like I did for Carol, or end it more quickly with a gun shot?" 

Trying to breath slowly and stay in control, Nathan took a step towards her. "Carol died of a tropical disease." 

Winking at him, she said tauntingly, "That's what the hospital recorded. Actually, they had no idea what killed her and that's what they TOLD you to cover their tracks." If she couldn't have him in her life, at least she could have some fun before she killed him. 

"No. I was there, I saw her fever, her delirium. It was a rare type of meningitis." He thought back to the days before Carol's death but the seed of doubt had been planted. What if she did it, he asked himself silently. He took another step towards Stark, glad that Kristin had left. Where was Crocker and the security. If they didn't hurry, things were going to start to get ugly. 

"How do you know, Nathan? You never will know," she gloated, overjoyed with the anger she saw in his eyes. She wanted to hurt him, like he had hurt her. Casually, she added, "I came to the funeral. I stayed in the background, but I found it quite touching, the way you cried over the casket." 

With a roar, Bridger threw himself at Stark, grabbing for the gun. Fury raged, totally blocking any sensible thought from entering his brain. He wanted blood. Blood for what he had endured, and for what Carol endured. Marilyn tried to push him away, struggling with him. The gun discharged, and there was a choked scream from the bushes. Stunned, Bridger stopped and turned to see Lucas stumble out, clutching his arm with one hand as blood dripped over his fingers. His rage quickly deflated, he temporarily ignored Stark and helped the boy sit on the ground. "What the hell are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the house." 

The teen groaned softly as Bridger pulled at his shirt sleeve, ripping the cloth carefully, to look at the wound. "I changed my mind. I didn't realize you were entertaining, or trust me, I would have stayed put." 

There was a rustle in the bushes and Kristin appeared on the other side of Lucas, frowning deeply. Pushing Bridger's hand away, she took a look at the bleeding injury. "You just can't stay out of trouble, can you....?" Taking off her denim shirt, she rolled it and then wrapped it around the teen's arm, tying it tight. 

"Isn't this a touching scene?" 

The three of them turned at the voice, amazed that they had forgotten the reason they were all there in the first place. 

Stark stood there, smirking, still holding the gun. 

Bridger stood, ready to advance but Kristin's word of warning reached his ears. "Don't...." 

One look at Lucas was enough to stop him. Look what had happened when he hadn't kept his anger under control. He had to keep his cool, not let Marilyn upset him again. Where the hell was Section Seven? It looked like he was on his own. Again. 

"Nathan, we really must go now. I'm sure that you had some back- up plan, some security measures. My men are waiting down at our boat and they're going to get impatient if we don't hurry. Shall I shoot these two? Oh, that's right, you all ready took care of the boy."She let out a short chuckle. "Don't worry about that, Nathan. I've stocked up on my drug supply and in a week or two, you'll forget these two ever existed." Stark motioned with her gun towards the path leading to the beach. "Let's go or I will shoot them." 

Nathan bowed his head, defeated. "Kristin, take care of Lucas," he ordered as he trudged slowly towards the path. 

Kristin got up to take a step forward, eyeing the gun warily. "Nathan....no...." She debated whether the two of them could subdue Stark without alerting her men or anyone else getting hurt. 

Nathan gave her a small wink, and said mournfully,"I'm sorry but... I have to end this. I can't watch her hurt either of you." He stopped suddenly, gaping at something floating in the air. "Carol?" 

Kristin and Lucas looked in amazement as the ghostly form of Carol Bridger floated in the air over the grave. The figure, dressed in a white wedding dress, drifted about five feet off the ground, fluttering in the breeze. 

Marilyn Stark's mouth dropped half way to the ground as the blood drained from her face as she stared at the apparition. "Whaaaat is that?" 

Taking advantage of the distraction, Bridger once again launched himself at Stark. This time, with her attention focused elsewhere, the gun dislodged from her hand and went flying, landing on the ground. Nathan pushed Stark hard, and she landed sprawled on the ground as he scooped up the gun. She looked around anxiously but the ghost had disappeared as mysteriously as it had appeared. She looked up to see Bridger holding the gun, aimed at her. 

Bridger announced, "It's over, Marilyn". 

Scrambling to her feet, Stark gave Bridger a cold smile, ignoring the others. "It'll never be over, Nathan. We were meant to be together. You'll have to shoot me and I know that you could never do that, could you, Nathan?" She walked slowly towards the Captain. 

The gun shook in Bridger's hand as his mind twisted with memories. He saw the needle sticking in his arm, felt the drugs pouring through his veins, remembered the nights he woke up screaming from the nightmares, visions of Carol dying. Holding the gun steady, he sighted Stark carefully, right at her head as she walked into the pistol, stopping an inch away. "Wrong, Marilyn, I could." He quickly dropped the gun downward as his closed fist made contact with the side of her head. She crumpled to the ground, semi conscious, groaning . "But I'm not going to let you destroy my life any more than you have." As the security chief came running over the hill, he glanced at Crocker, motioning to Stark. "Get her out of my sight." Crocker beckoned to two of his men to take Stark. "Sorry we're late. Section Seven had, um, a small problem and once they decided to inform us, we came as fast as we could." 

Relieved, Bridger surrendered the gun and joined Kristin and Lucas on the ground. "How is he?" 

Kristin's hand rubbed Lucas' shoulder in soothing circles. "It looks like it's just a flesh wound. I'll have to take a few x-rays but I think he'll be fine. You'd better have a stretcher to carry him." 

Lucas protested, "I'm fine!" He sat up abruptly, but swayed slightly as the ground seemed to rock under him. "Um, I think I'll lay back down," he said miserably, feeling light headed.. In a droll voice, Kristin said., "It seems that Mr. Wolenczak will accept a lift gratefully, Chief. 

Crocker cast a look of disgust in Stark's direction. "Did SHE do that ?" 

Watching the guilt flash across Bridger's face, Lucas quickly explained, "It was an accident. My mistake, I guess, for hanging out in bushes, but it was nobody's fault." Anxious to change the subject, he added, "What happened to Section Seven?" 

"The line delivering power to the island was cut. Stark must have done it. None of the cameras or listening devices were working and Section Seven was running around trying to figure out what was happening. I'll take Stark down to the beach and a couple of men back with the stretcher." Crocker moved towards the path, his men following him, half dragging the still groggy Stark. 

"Be careful, Chief. She must have a boat and maybe a crew stashed somewhere," Bridger shouted to their retreating backs. He turned to see two set of eyes staring at him. "What?" 

"You mind explaining what that....thing.... was?" Kristin gestured at the grave. 

"Carol's ghost coming to my aid?" Bridger gave them a satisfied grin. "Did you see Marilyn's face? I thought she was going to wet her pants." 

"I almost wet myself and I didn't even know her," Lucas mumbled. "It's not even close to Halloween and we're no where near the King George." 

Bridger yanked a little black box off his belt and showed it to them. "A little surprise Katie and Tim were working on to impress you, Lucas. Based on the Professor technology, it's hologram with artificial intelligence but on a much simpler plane. I needed a back up plan and thought the ghost of Carol would unnerve Stark, so I borrowed it from them." 

Lucas worked the cover off the device one- handed and examined the computer chip. "Sort of like a portable Professor." Fascinated, he shifted carefully so not to jostle his throbbing arm, and turned the box around several times. "I guess they're planning on adding sound. It would make an interesting communication device...." 

As the teen continued to fiddle with it, Bridger and Kristin exchanged an amused look. "Guess that'll distract him for awhile," Nathan whispered to the Doctor. 

They sat back, watching the ocean, lost in their private musing. 

"A penny for your thoughts?' Kristin asked after a few minutes. 

Bridger exhaled deeply. "I was thinking of Carol and everything that has happened lately," Bridger said distantly. 

"I thought you were going to kill her." The Doctor prompted, trying to get Bridger to open up. 

"Me too," Nathan said bitterly, echoing words that Kristin had said to him about the man who had destroyed her brother. "I'm just happy to put this whole thing behind me." He shifted, looking at the teen who was still distracted with his new toy. "It's funny; while Stark had me, all I could remember was flashes of the seaQuest, and of Lucas, Jonathan. And you. I didn't even think of Carol or Robert, had no thoughts of them." Picking up a stick, he started pulling the bark off it. 

"Does that disturb you," Kristin asked gently. 

"I'm not sure," Nathan replied softly. "Look at Marilyn. After all this time, she's still stuck in the past, disturbed over what might've happened. It's taken me a long time, but I've finally put the past behind me. I want to live for the here and now, not with regrets for the past." 

Kristin gave a small laugh, smiling when Nathan gave her a questioning look. "I think the rest of us need to send Stark a thank you card." 

"I'm going to regret this but ....why?" Nathan wore a puzzled expression, wondering where the Doctor was headed. 

"If she hadn't disobeyed orders at Livingston Trench, hadn't come back and attacked the farm colony, the UEO wouldn't have needed you. It's because of Marilyn that you are Captain of the seaQuest now." 

Nathan gave a snort at this piece of convoluted logic. "You do have a way of finding the silver lining, Doctor." He stood up, brushed off his pants and then reached a hand to help the Doctor up as a few of the security men came into sight. "Let's bundle up your patient and go home." 

Bridger watched as Kristin carefully helped Lucas settle on the stretcher and the men slowly raised him for the trip to beach. He patted the teen on the shoulder comfortingly as the boy grumbled about being treated like a child. "Go ahead, I'll be down in a minute." 

Crouching down at Carol's headstone, he pulled a few weeds, then gently caressed the stone. "I'm pretty confident that Stark had nothing to do with your death and I'm sorry I had to use you like that to catch her. Please don't be disappointed in me. I know I made a promise to you but I need the seaQuest and I'm happy there." He gave the stone one final pat. "I'll see you next time." 

With that, he headed to the beach, thinking about what he needed to do: get Lucas to Med Bay, come back for their belongings, close up the house, take Stark to UEO headquarters. Smiling at last thought, he looked up to see Kristin waiting for him at the shuttle and grabbed her in a bear hug. 

When she finally wiggled free, she cocked her head and asked, "Feeling better, are you?" 

"Feeling great," he exclaimed joyfully as he climbed into the shuttle. "Let's go home." 

>END<


End file.
